Dell/Intel Advertising - misleading?

[David Prahl]

I tried to post this a few months ago but my browser crashed. Seeing a Centrino ad on TV reminded me, and here it is:

Centrino Magazine Ad: Shows someone with a snazzy Centrino notebook in an airplane (that's airborne). They've connected to the web using 802.11b, and somewhere in the ad is says they're at 30,000 feet.

Centrino TV Ad: Two mountain climbers are on Mount Everest, struggling to make it to their tents in the blowing snow. Once inside, they whip out a Centrino notebook and are getting e-mail from their families. The ad says they're using 802.11b wireless.

Recent Dell TV Ad: Says that an upgrade from a CD-ROM to a CD burner is a $149 value.

:evil:

[JustinGTP]

lol!

You have an eye for perfection, probably good one day. However, I did notice the Centrino ones and that, I thought, was stupid. Maybe they meant bluetooth to their cellphone? :evil:

[Sven Johannsen]

On the devil's advocate side..
Is it a commercial airliner or does it look private? Nothing says you can't put WiFi on your own plane. If commercial, I thought there were some airlines experimenting with this.

Why not on Everest? Who's to say the Sherpas in the next tent, don't have a satellite link and an AP. Wouldn't really surprise me. If base camp can see the climbers, it wouldn't be out of line to have a directional antenna pointed their way. I'm more impressed by the laptop working at -20C than in the WiFi link.

'Value', in marketing has absolutely nothing to do with cost.

[David Prahl]

Is it a commercial airliner or does it look private? Nothing says you can't put WiFi on your own plane.

It looked like a regular commercial passenger airliner (at least what they showed). He had his notebook resting on the seat-back tray of the chair in front of him.

Why not on Everest? Who's to say the Sherpas in the next tent, don't have a satellite link and an AP. Wouldn't really surprise me. If base camp can see the climbers, it wouldn't be out of line to have a directional antenna pointed their way. I'm more impressed by the laptop working at -20C than in the WiFi link.

I bet they were stealing the signal from the guy in the plane! :lol:

[JustinGTP]

I bet they were stealing the signal from the guy in the plane! :lol:

And how high in the air do planes usually fly David? And do you know how fast they go? I don't suppose they could hold a signal for very long, the plane would be out of sight in no time!

-Justin.

[David Prahl]

I bet they were stealing the signal from the guy in the plane! :lol:

And how high in the air do planes usually fly David? And do you know how fast they go? I don't suppose they could hold a signal for very long, the plane would be out of sight in no time!

-Justin.

Most commercial jets fly about 35,000 feet and about 350-400 miles per hour. If the wardriving mountain climbers on Everest (29,035 feet) had a decent directional antenna they could probably maintain a signal for several minutes. They might need GPS data from the plane to keep the signal, but it isn't impossible. Now we just need to ask Intel to demonstrate it! :)

[JustinGTP]

Oh come on :razz:

[Oliver Mitchell]

re: mt everest see here here (http://wifinetnews.com/archives/001559.html)

re: airliner wireless see here (http://news.com.com/2100-1023-983712.html)

[David Prahl]

The airliner magazine ad ran last summer, and even today it would be a stretch to publish something like that and stand behind it.

How many people are going to carry a satellite uplink antenna around with them? Yes, it's possible, but that's like saying I can find beverage ABC on Everest because I brought a refrigerator with me. :roll:

[Oliver Mitchell]

oh, the adverts just started running over here in england hence why i thought they may have done some research

[buckyg]

Yeah, I know it is technically possible for the advertised things such as to be connected on Mt. Everest. But is it feasible or practical in most cases?

See, we here in this thread have thought about it and have some ideas about how it might be done. Unfortunately, a lot of people (especially some non-technical executive boss types) buy the ad hook, line and sinker. As in, "Buy me one of those new laptops like in the commercial. I'm headed to the middle of nowhere. I'm told my cell phone won't work. But I need to check my email and the commcercials advertise being able to connect anywhere, like Mt. Everest"

I am not exaggerating by much, having known and worked with several such people in my career.

[David Prahl]

Exactly, buckyg! Those of us in IT have to tell users that "no, your <expensive product> can't do that." And that makes us even more popular! :)